Twelve Kingdoms – Page 2 – Jeffe Kennedy Blog

Top Pick for THE TALON OF THE HAWK!

Jeffe Kennedy / April 14, 2015April 15, 2015 / News

I’m just thrilled and nearly breathless to report that RT Book Reviews gave The Talon of the Hawk a 4.5 Star Top Pick review! The reviewers there are just so incredibly good to this series.

Here’s the review:

“The saga of The Twelve Kingdoms returns in grand style! It takes a great deal of trust for Ursula to accept that Harlan is interested in her as a woman; his position as a mercenary means he’s skilled at playing courtly games. She’s always possessed a physical strength, so it’s beautiful to watch her accept her own personal power, as a woman and as a daughter of Salena, even when her stubbornness gives you fits. Harlan is her perfect match because his talent at observation allows him to see beyond the tough warrior image she employs to avoid showing her feelings. This is a complex world full of danger, subterfuge and secrets with empowering female characters who are not afraid to fight for their future.”– RT Book Reviews, 4.5 Stars Top Pick

Yes, More Twelve Kingdoms!

Jeffe Kennedy / February 14, 2015 / News

Are you here looking to find out if there will be more Twelve Kingdoms books after Ursula’s, in THE TALON OF THE HAWK?

Yes.

Yes, there will!

I just signed a deal for two more books in the world of THE MARK OF THE TALA, with Dafne’s book as book 4. That’s right, our favorite librarian will star in THE PAGES OF THE MIND, coming summer of 2016. And boy, do I have a juicy adventure in mind for her!

The News You’ve Been Waiting For!

Jeffe Kennedy / February 13, 2015February 13, 2015 / Blog

Been champing at the bit for Ursula’s book? It’s heeeerrre….

That’s right! I have ARCs (Advance Reader Copies, for those not in the know) of THE TALON OF THE HAWK, book 3 of THE TWELVE KINGDOMS. I’m really excited for you all to read this one. It gutted me to write and I’m still a more than a little obsessed with this one. (I may have faxed 94 pages of corrections on the galley proofs – my production editor actually called me “Nutbar,” which she insists it a term of affection. Fortunately she does love me and promised to make as many of the changes as seemed within the realm of sanity.)

ANYWAY.

So, I have ARCs! Want one? Let me know! Ping me in the comments or elsewhere. You all know where to find me. I’ve already got a growing list, so let me know soon! I don’t know if it’s up on NetGalley yet – can anyone tell?

ALSO!

I really thought I’d posted this already, at least as a news item, but when I found out I was focusing on the release of UNDER HIS TOUCH and so I guess I missed putting it here. All y’all who’ve written to ask about Dafne’s book??

YOU GET DAFNE’S BOOK!!

Yay!!!

(Apparently this is all caps day at JeffeKennedy.com)

Here’s the official announcement, which is not easy to read, I know:

If you don’t want to squint, it says:

Jeffe Kennedy’s THE PAGES OF THE MIND, the first in a new series set in the world of THE MARK OF THE TALA, a woman finds herself trapped in a foreign land by a warrior king who cannot understand her clever words, to Peter Senftleben at Kensington, in a two-book deal, for publication in Summer 2016, by Connor Goldsmith at Fuse Literary (World). Dramatic rights: Brandy Rivers at ICM Partners.

The “woman” in question there is, naturally, our favorite librarian. This story is going to be SO fun! You see, Dafne is going to have to go on a quest, because of all the shiz that goes down at the end of TALON. Because of what Ursula – oh, wait. That’s right. You guys haven’t read it yet!

Hee hee hee.

~waves to Ericka~

The point is, you CAN! So let me know if you want an ARC to read and review! Happy Friday everyone! 🙂

Convention Report – Coastal Magic Con

Jeffe Kennedy / February 12, 2015 / Blog

Last week I attended the Coastal Magic Convention and had a fabulous time. As evidenced by this hysterical pic above, taken by lovely blogger Little Read Riding Hood, in which Damon Suede and Lucienne Diver look on in bemusement during our Flash Fiction Panel. You can read my convention recap on the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Blog.

Check back tomorrow because I shall have some exciting news about the Twelve Kingdoms books! Eeeee!!

Show Rayfe and The Mark of the Tala the Lurv!

Jeffe Kennedy / February 10, 2015February 12, 2015 / Blog

Kensington is running a Hero vs. Hero Ultimate Showdown. They’re pitting the heroes from various books against each other for fans to vote on. For all of you out there who share my mad love for Rayfe, King of the Tala, then get ready to vote tomorrow, February 11! He’s up against some shaggy blond dude, so this is our chance to show that Rayfe rules supreme in our hearts.

Shapeshifting wizard kings FOR THE WIN!

(I nearly typed “wine,” which is accurate also.)

Here’s Rayfe’s dossier:

Feel free to share both the pic above and this dossier. And vote as often as you like!

THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!

Hottest Heroine!

Jeffe Kennedy / January 6, 2015 / Blog

SO excited that the cover for THE TALON OF THE HAWK totally won the Hottest Heroine Cover over on Addicted to Heroines. It’s such a great cover and for such a wonderful heroine, I’m just thrilled.

Coincidentally (OR NOT???), I received some fax pages yesterday from my awesome production editor at Kensington, Rebecca Cremonese. She wanted me to see the design and particularly the sword symbol in the line breaks. In celebration of this MAJOR WIN, I thought I’d share them here. Whee!

Yeah, yeah – these are screen shots of a third-generation fax. Good luck making out the text. 😀 Come on – you guys know what a tease I am!

Speaking of teases, you can still register through today for my online workshop on Sex as a Tool for Character Transformation. You still have time to catch up on the first assignment, because it’s easy. We have a great group – 27 participants at this point – so come join in the conversation!

New Tattoo!

Jeffe Kennedy / December 19, 2014 / Blog

I kept quiet-ish on this and waited until it healed to take a photo. But I got my first tattoo!

If you haven’t been keeping score at home, it’s the feather from THE MARK OF THE TALA cover. Having that book come out, and how wonderfully the whole series has been received has been a watershed for me.

So this is how I commemorated this year, apropos as it comes to a close.

Who knows what 2015 will bring?

Happy turn of the year to you all!

Smutketeer Parties, Double Standards and the Emergence of Fantasy Romance

Jeffe Kennedy / December 18, 2014December 18, 2014 / Blog

Today is a concatenation of various blog appearances for both of my genre selves. Tis the Season?

I’m over celebrating Day 10 of the Smutketeers Twelve Days of Christmas. There’s a huge giveaway involved with tons of naughty authors, so it’s very fun. Along those lines, I’m giving away UNDER HIS TOUCH, which just received 4.5 stars from RT Book Reviews. *happy dancing*

I’m also talking about my second Twelve Kingdoms book, THE TEARS OF THE ROSE today in several places. The brilliant and generous Suzanne Johnson is hosting me on her blog, where we’re discussing the double standard of the unlikable heroine vs. the dark hero. Harlequin Junkie has a terrific post up where she interviewed me for secrets about the book and extracted all sorts of excerpts. Finally, I’m at Fresh Fiction, talking about the rise of Fantasy Romance as a genre and why I think it’s happening now.

Gifts of Winter – Metaphors, Top Ten Lists and Parties!

Jeffe Kennedy / December 16, 2014 / Blog

I’m over at Here Be Magic, celebrating our Winter Paranormal Week and talking about how winter serves as a metaphor in The Twelve Kingdoms books.

The Literary Escapism blog is hosting me today with their Black Friday party and ongoing giveaway – I offer up what Princess Amelia, of The Tears of the Rose, might put on her shopping list.

Finally, I have to share that Regina Small of RT Book Reviews picked The Tears of the Rose as one of her Top Ten Books of 2014 – along with Amy Poehler’s book! Is there anything better than having a really smart reviewer say wonderful, insightful things about your book? YES! Having her make a comparison to Buffy the Vampire Slayer! This is what she says:

The Tears of the Rose by Jeffe Kennedy — It is a truth universally acknowledged that I’m a sucker for spoiled, sheltered heroines who lose it all, and then have to find their own way in the wilderness. (Think Cordelia Chase’s brilliant character arc in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.) At the beginning of The Tears of the Rose, beautiful pampered princess Amelia is in mourning over the loss of her husband. While this is undeniably a romance — spoilers: Ash is hot — Kennedy gives Ami something even more important than a partner: a purpose. And Ami’s transition into a woman with a richer inner life is so complex and well done; Ami never stops loving her fallen husband, Hugh, but she recognizes that her love for him belongs to a different, more innocent life. With Hugh, she was a child; with Ash, she is a woman.

Pretty wonderful, huh?

USA Today, What I’m Working on and the Loch Ness Monster

Jeffe Kennedy / December 5, 2014 / Blog

Yesterday we enjoyed a long, gentle, soaking rain. Which means this morning we awoke to our typically dry high-desert transformed by an ocean of fog. I felt as if I’d been transported to Inverness and was tempted to hike down to Loch Ness and see if I could spot the monsters.

I’m over at USA Today with an interview about THE TWELVE KINGDOMS you might want to check out. And I have a post at the Contemporary Romance Cafe, talking about what I’m working on and how my agent helps me shape that.